2. A New Hope

Engrossing, moving, endlessly rewatchable Star Wars: A New Hope is the one that started it all. Set in a galaxy where the evil Empire has already won and the heroic Jedi Knights are only a memory, George Lucas started building his grand sci-fi saga from the middle out. The hermit Ben Kenobi wistfully recalls the days of the Clone Wars to farmboy Luke Skywalker, and bemoans the incivility of blasters in comparison to the more elegant lightsaber. It gave the world of the story a lived-in feel and the seemingly inescapable grip of the Empire casts an air of despair over the A New Hope, one personified by the villain to end all villains: Darth Vader.

A New Hope blends elements of sci-fi, fantasy, Western, Samurai, and war films with pioneering visual effects that laid the groundwork for blockbusters as we know them today. It's as much a visual achievement as it is a narrative one, and brought together with John Williams' legendary score, Episode IV is one of the best films ever made, yet it's only number two on this list. That's right, there is another…

3. Return of The Jedi

After leaving fans on a big cliffhanger in Episode V, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi had to deliver both a satisfying followup and a fitting ending for our beloved heroes and villains, and that's exactly what it did.

There's the self-contained rescue mission where two robots and a wizard go to a crime lord's palace and try to steal a piece of wall art (that just so happens to have a certain scoundrel trapped in it). There's the exhilarating speeder bike chase through a dense and deadly forest. And sure, there are some questionable bits. The revelation that Luke and Leia are siblings even though they smooched before. The gigantic space battle and destruction of yet another ball-shaped super weapon. And then there's the Ewoks, who may have been shoehorned in to appeal to kids, but in the end kind of win you over because they are an adorable-on-the-surface-but-ultimately-murderous gang of tree bears who play drums on the skulls of their enemies.

It all culminates in one of the best and most crucial lightsaber fights in the series, between father and son and overseen by a seething Emperor trying to tear them apart, even though it's he who unites them. Yeah, it's campy, but underneath it all are some serious conflicts and ultimately bittersweet goodbyes to some of the most iconic characters in movie history.

4. The Last Jedi

As Star Wars: The Last Jedi's sole credited writer and director - a cinematic distinction shared only by George Lucas - Rian Johnson put an authorial stamp on the galaxy far, far away that few in the Star Wars world ever get to attempt-and the result was the best-and most hotly debated-Star Wars film since the original trilogy.

The ways Johnson moved the pieces JJ Abrams set in play challenged many pillars of the mythology: the Chosen One archetype, Luke's heroic reputation, the clear delineation of dark and light. Though it suffers from a meandering espionage subplot and a ticking clock dilemma that could be solved with a little bit of communication, The Last Jedi also boasts dazzling action sequences and an especially rich and emotional storyline between Luke Skywalker, Rey, and Kylo Ren.
More than anything, The Last Jedi is admirable in its unwavering enthusiasm for Star Wars' potential. With the theme of moving on from the past at the heart of everything it does, the film wraps up with a peace and purpose that few other films in t he series find. Echoing the lately-redeemed Luke Skywalker seeing the binary sunset of his isolated youth in his final moments, a nameless womp rat of a kid on Cantonica raises a defiant broom - yes, broom! - to a galaxy which he feels empowered to be a part of, whether or not he has a famous last name.